Campus Health: Institutional Plan of Care Policy

Unit Policy

Title

Campus Health: Institutional Plan of Care

PC-01

Introduction

Purpose

This document defines the full scope of health and wellness services provided by Campus Health and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at UNC-Chapel Hill, including who is eligible for care and how those services are accessed. It also outlines the conditions under which patients may be referred or transferred to higher levels of care outside of Campus Health.

Scope

This document applies to regularly enrolled UNC students, spouses of enrolled students, postdoctoral fellows and their spouses, and selected non-student patients seeking specific Campus Health services.

Overview

Campus Health (CH) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to providing quality health and wellness services to its patients and clients to maximize their potential for success. The scope of medical services that Campus Health provides includes primary care medical services, gynecologic services, sports medicine, and orthopedic services, including physical therapy, laboratory, pharmacy, X-ray services, immunization/travel clinic, allergy clinic, and other nursing services, as well as limited acute care services. Dental services are provided via contract with Campus Smiles. Basic Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are provided on a limited basis. See policy PC-54 Campus EMS Program. The scope of services for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is addressed further in this document under the CAPS Section.

If, in the opinion of the treating physician or other health care provider, a student's condition requires a level of care beyond what can be provided safely and effectively through Campus Health, referral to other community providers for diagnosis and treatment or medication maintenance will be provided. Campus Health reserves the right to make the final determination as to whether a student can be effectively and safely cared for within the confines of its scope of service.

In all cases, at the student's request, Campus Health will assist him or her in finding the appropriate services in the community.

Eligibility for Services

Those eligible for services include regularly enrolled students progressing toward a degree, spouses of enrolled students, postdoctoral fellows and spouses, and selected non-student patients seeking specific Campus Health services.

All degree-seeking students at UNC-Chapel Hill pay the Campus Health fee as part of their tuition and fees. By State law, Campus Health receives no taxpayer dollars to operate. All services are supported by the health fee and service charges. The Campus Health fee covers the following items:

• Provider visits in the Primary Care Clinics
• Provider visits at Gynecology
• Sports Medicine visits including musculoskeletal evaluation, concussion care, and rehabilitation
• Same Day Care services, inclusive of Saturday services
• Any patient-portion charges for Physical Therapy after insurance has paid for services rendered
• Any patient-portion charges for nutrition counseling after insurance has paid for services rendered
• Counseling and Psychological Services initial assessment, brief therapy if warranted by initial assessment, group therapy, referral management, and any copays/coinsurance after insurance has been filed for the first Medication Evaluation and Management visit. CAPS 24/7 for speaking by phone with a mental health professional when CAPS is closed.
• Access to the on-site Campus Health Pharmacy, Student Stores Pharmacy, and Healthy Heels Shoppe including personal counseling about prescriptions by a pharmacist
• Access to specialty care within Campus Health at significant savings compared to community charges, including Orthopedics and Travel Clinic
• Campus EMS first responder, non-transport service
• Regular protocols recognized by the University for considering the student's health status as it relates to academic performance (course drops and withdrawal from school for medical reasons). These are called academic interventions for medical and psychological reasons
• Sexual assault counseling and referral
• Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
• Preconception and pregnancy counseling
• Nurse consultations on a variety of health-related issues, including Gynecology, Sports Medicine, etc.
• Public health interventions in collaboration with local public health agencies
• Secure web interactions with the medical team
• Specialty clinic referral service and insurance assistance
• 24-hour nurse advice line and On-Call physician access
• 24-hour on-call student crisis support

The Campus Health Fee also funds health promotion and violence prevention services offered by Student Wellness and VPAS.

For individuals who are graduating or withdrawing from the University for medical or psychological reasons, the following will apply:

• Graduating individuals: Eligibility for services at Campus Health ends thirty (30) days post-commencement. With loss of eligibility, medication refills by a Campus Health provider may be extended up to three months per the discretion of the provider.
• Medical Withdrawal: Eligibility for services at Campus Health ends thirty (30) days after the effective medical withdrawal date. With the loss of eligibility, medication refills by a Campus Health provider may be extended for up to three months at the provider's discretion.
• Psychological Withdrawal: Eligibility for services at Campus Health ends thirty (30) days after the effective psychological withdrawal date. The therapist will immediately initiate a transition to continue services with another outside provider. With the loss of eligibility, medication refills by a Campus Health provider may be extended for up to three months at the provider's discretion.

See RI-12 Eligibility for Care for additional information

Access to Care

Clinic Appointments – Campus Health operates on an appointment system and encourages the use of scheduled appointments for non-urgent care delivery. Regular appointments (in advance) and same day appointments are offered. Any student that has questions or needs information regarding sexual health and relationship education including how to talk to a partner, contraceptives, and/or safer sex supplies can contact SHARE (Sexual Health and Relationship Education) Services in Student Wellness by emailing LetsTalkABoutIt@unc.edu or calling 919-962-9355.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Appointments – Counseling and Psychological Services operates an initial walk-in system from 9:00am-Noon and 1:00pm - 4:00pm Monday through Friday and encourages the use of scheduled appointments for follow-up care. Any student who wishes to be seen for an Academic Intervention (AI) appointment is encouraged to call CAPS at 919-966-3658 to schedule that specific appointment.

Health Care Services at Campus Health

Primary Care

Primary Care provides comprehensive medical health care for students and is provided by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. A student can choose a professional to serve as his/her primary care provider. Clinical medicine practitioners utilize the full range of specialty services, some offered at Campus Health and others at UNC Hospitals or other locations, to meet additional patient care needs.

Hours of Operation during the Academic Year

Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm. Primary Care 

Primary Care clinic closes at 5:00 p.m.

After 5:00 p.m. students have access to a nurse for advice via UNC Nurse Connect and there is always a physician on call.

Hours of Operation during the Summer Sessions

Phone Number(s): 919-966-6561 or 919-966-6572

Same Day Care

Same Day Care provides services to patients presenting to Campus Health without an appointment. Patients may be triaged by a Registered Nurse based on acuity and by coordinating those needs with the availability of health care workers. A patient may be triaged to home with self-care instructions based on screening assessment, patient acuity, and nurses' judgment. The clinic is staffed by experienced nurse practitioners and physician assistants, with backup from the On-Call Campus Health physician.

Hours of Operation during the Academic Year

Hours of Operation during the Summer Sessions

Phone Number: 919-966-6573

During the academic year, after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, students have access to a nurse for advice via UNC Nurse Connect, and a physician is always on call.

See PC-40 Triage for additional information

Allergy Clinic

Allergy Clinic provides immunotherapy under the detailed instructions of an ordering allergist.

Hours of Operation during the Academic Year

Hours of Operation during the Summer Sessions

Phone Number: 919-966-6664

Immunization

Immunization provides recommended and required vaccines, titers, and/or TB screening to comply with State Immunization Law and professional school requirements.

Hours of Operation during the Academic Year

Hours of Operation during the Summer Sessions

Phone Number: 843-4779

International Travel Clinic

International Travel Clinic provides services to UNC-Chapel Hill community members - students, post-docs, faculty and staff who will be traveling internationally. A Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner or a Registered Nurse, all with a Certificate of Travel Health from the International Society of Travel Medicine, reviews each itinerary and questionnaire to prepare recommendations.

Hours of Operation

Phone Number: 919-966-9176

Sports Medicine/Physical Therapy

Sports Medicine Service is staffed by sports medicine physicians, orthopedists, and physical therapists who provide treatment and rehabilitation for injuries and exercise-related medical conditions. Physical Therapy and the Orthopedic Clinic are available to all students when referred by a Campus Health practitioner. Orthopedic visits are available on a fee-for-service basis. Ancillary services such as casts, crutches, ace wraps, surgery, special orthopedic appliances, radiographic studies, and laboratory tests are not covered by the health fee.

Hours of Operation

Phone Numbers

Sports Medicine: 919-966-3655

Physical Therapy: 919-966-6548

Gynecology

Gynecology Clinic provides general gynecological care, preconception counseling, emergency contraceptive management, and care and referral for the survivor of sexual assault or forced intercourse. The Gynecology Clinic is staffed with nurse practitioners and nursing staff, in addition to OB/GYN physicians, for a total of 2.5 days weekly. No obstetric services are provided. There are additional charges for certain tests, laboratory studies, and treatments.

Hours of Operation

Phone Number: 919-966-3650

Pharmacy and Over-The-Counter Services

Campus Health Pharmacy and Student Stores Pharmacy serve UNC-Chapel Hill students, post-docs, faculty and staff. Both pharmacies offer medications, administration of select vaccinations, private patient counseling, and insurance billing. Both pharmacies also offer prescriptions for contraceptives for a separate charge, per the state medical director's prescription order. Prescriptions written by licensed providers may be filled for all eligible Campus Health patients. Medications are billed to the patient's insurance, and the patient is responsible for the copay. Campus Health's Healthy Heels Shoppe and the Over-The-Counter Section of Student Stores Pharmacy offer a wide selection of items that can be purchased without a prescription and provide cashiering services for Campus Health.

Hours of Operation

Phone Number

Campus Health Pharmacy: 919-966-6556

Student Stores Pharmacy: 919-966-7129

Laboratory

The Laboratory supports the Campus Health mission to provide quality patient care services by offering a range of commonly ordered diagnostic tests and facilitating the ordering of other necessary tests through approved reference laboratories (LabCorp and the University of North Carolina Hospitals laboratories). The Laboratory is accredited by the Joint Commission.

Hours of Operation

Phone Number: 919-966-6563

Radiology

The Radiology Department provides diagnostic radiography services. No contrast or tomography services are provided. A board-certified Radiologist from UNC Healthcare does radiographic interpretations.

Hours of Operation

Phone Number: 919-966-6567

Weekend Care

Campus Health is committed to providing quality care to the student population. A weekend care clinic is available for diagnosis and management of acute illnesses and injuries and is staffed by experienced nurse practitioners and physician assistants with back-up by the On-Call Campus Health physician.

Hours of Operation

Phone Number: 919-966-6573

After 5:00 p.m., students have access to a nurse for advice via UNC Nurse Connect. A physician is always on call.

Transfer of Care

If the nature of the injury or illness is beyond the scope of the Same Day Care Staff, either a specialist consult will be obtained from UNC Health or the patient will be transferred to the UNC Emergency Department after stabilization. Physical transfer may be by rescue squad, stretcher, or wheelchair, depending on medical acuity. If the patient has stable vital signs and the medical problem is urgent rather than emergent, the patient may be transferred by wheelchair or stretcher per the medical provider's discretion. Students may also be transferred to UNC Healthcare if the practitioner is not privileged to perform a medical procedure, or if the student's age falls outside the parameters of the assigned medical practitioner's license to practice.

Medical conditions for which Campus Health would transfer care via ambulance, as determined by the medical practitioner, include, but are not limited to:

• Cardiovascular emergencies such as symptomatic tachyarrhythmia or sustained or significant chest pain felt to be of cardiac origin
• Pulmonary emergencies such as status asthmaticus l, documented or strongly suspected pulmonary embolus, pneumothorax associated with cardiovascular or respiratory compromise, severe pneumonia, or any condition associated with severe hypoxemia
• Significant toxic ingestions such as acetaminophen, aspirin, tricyclic antidepressants, or any presentation associated with significant depressed sensorium
• Abdominal pain associated with hypotension
• Neurologic emergencies such as head injuries associated with a significantly depressed or altered sensorium, severe headache suspicious of intracranial hemorrhage, or suspected meningitis
• Status epilepticus
• Extensive trauma, penetrating wounds, or students presenting with a cervical collar or on a backboard
• Open fractures or fractures with neurologic or vascular compromise

Counseling and Psychological Services

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to providing limited counseling services to its students to maximize their potential for success. The scope of counseling services that Counseling and Psychological Services provides includes initial same-day psychological assessment, individual counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention, and medication evaluation. Every student who has paid the Campus Health fee is eligible for an initial mental health evaluation during which the appropriate next step of care-if any- will be determined. CAPS utilizes a brief treatment model including brief interventions for a specific problem or crisis stabilization where short term support is offered until the appropriate community resources can be engaged.

If short term therapy is appropriate, the student can be referred to a therapist at CAPS. If evaluation for medical therapy by a psychiatrist is indicated, the student can be referred to a CAPS psychiatrist or Advanced Practice Provider (APP) for initial psychiatric evaluation.

If, in the opinion of the treating therapist or the treating psychiatrist or APP, a student's condition requires a level of care beyond that which can be provided safely and effectively through CAPS, referral to other community providers for therapy and or medication maintenance by a psychiatrist or APP will be provided. CAPS reserves the right to make the final determination as to whether a student can be effectively and safely cared for within the confines of its scope of service.

In all cases, at the student's request, CAPS will assist him or her to find the appropriate services in the community.

Hours of Operation

After 5:00 p.m. and on weekends, CAPS 24/7 (Protocall) is available to speak with patients by phone or consult with medical providers by calling the number below.

Phone Number

Counseling and Psychological Services: 919-966-3658

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Name: Melody Gibson, Health Information Manager

Telephone: 919-966-6557

Email: mgibson@email.unc.edu

Publication Details

Issuing Officer: Ken Pittman, Executive Director of Campus Health

Effective Date: August 2012

Last Review Date: March 2024

Next Review Date: March 2027